Marking device for can bodies



Feb. M, W56 H. R. VITENSE 2,734,451

MARKING DEVICE FOR CAN BODIES Filed Dec. 12, 1952 IN V EN TOR. lV/IPOZD1?. V/ 7Z-7V5f United States Patent P 2,734,451 MARKING DEVICE FOR CANBODIES Harold R. Vitense, Berwyn, Ill., assignor to American CanCompany, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationDecember 12, 1952, Serial No. 325,537 7 Claims. (Cl. 101-5 The presentinvention relates to a marking mechanism and has particular reference toa rotary marking device for stamping identifying data on the side seamsof container or can bodies.

In certain can making installations it is desirable to mark can bodieswith identifying code information. For example, in the manufacture ofbeer cans it may be advantageous to mark the day, month and year inwhich the can was made or the factory in which it was made or toidentify the vat from which the beer was taken These identifying marksby themselves usually offer no information to the general public and canbe read or interpreted only by a person having a knowledge of the codeused. Therefore it is desirable to place these marks in a position onthe body which will be inconspicuous and will not weaken or mar the bodybut yet may be readily found for inspection purposes.

This is accomplished by the instant invention wherein a simple and novelrotary marking device is provided for clearly marking the can bodies,preferably while they are being made on a can body making machine and ina manner which places the marks at a certain predetermined positionviz., in the restricted side seam area of the bodies adjacent and inspaced relation to both ends of the seam where they can be easily foundand decoded by those having a knowledge of the code used.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device for markingidentifying data in the restricted side seam area of can bodies locatedin association with other can making devices and synchronized with them.

It is a further object to provide a rotating marking device having aseries of interchangeable stamping dies which are adapted to clearly anddistinctly mark the side seams without distortion.

Another object is to provide a device which can be removed and replacedwith a minimum of lost time in production.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of a can body making machineillustrating the principal parts of the machine embodying the markingmechanism of the instant invention, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along lines 22of Fig. 1, and showing certain details of construction; 1 l 1 Fig. 3 isa fragmentary'vertical sectional view showing the parts in markingposition;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the marking device ems bodying theinstant invention; and

Fig. 5 is a side view illustrating a body as marked at the side seam bythe device of the instant invention.

Asa preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention thedrawings illustrate a mechanism for stamping or marking coded data onside seams A (Figs. 1, 4 and 5), preferably lock and lap side seams, ofsheet metal tubular can bodies B. The can bodies preferably are madefrom flat blanks on a conventional can body forming machine for example,of the character disclosed in United States Patent 1,770,041, issuedJuly 8, 1930, to John F. Peters on Roll Bodymaker.

. A portion of such a machine is illustrated in Fig. 1 and comprises astationary horn or mandrel 11 around which the flat blanks are formedand on which the formed bodies are supported and advanced duringsubsequent operations. The formed bodies are advanced along the horn 11to the various working stations in a step-by-step or intermittent motionby a reciprocating feed bar 12 carrying spaced spring held feed dogs 13(see also Fig. 2) which engage behind the trailing end edges of thebodies. The feed bar 12 is located in a longitudinal groove 14 formed inthe top of the horn so that the upper outer surface of the feed bar 12is flush with the curved surface of the horn 11.

Reciprocation of the feed bar 12 preferably is effected through acrank-lever mechanism which includes a lag 16 secured to the undersideof the bar 12. The lug 16 is connected by a link 17 to an oscillatinglever 18 pivoted or fulcrumed on a shaft 19 journaled in suitablebearings 20 secured to a frame 21 which is part of the main frame of themachine. Oscillation is imparted to the lever 18 and feed bar 12 by apitman 22 connected to the lever 18 and to a crank 23 secured to a shaft24 journaled in a bearing bracket 25 secured to the frame 21. Continuousrotation of the shaft 24 causes the feed bar 12 to reciprocate in thegroove 14 through a forward (toward the right in Fig. 1) or feedingstroke and thence through a return stroke to intermittently feed the canbodies along the horn. The shaft 24 is the main drive shaft for themarking device of the present invention and may be driven in anysuitable manner.

The stamping of the coded identifying data on the side seam A of the canbodies B preferably is efiected while the bodies are moving through afeeding stroke and are supported on the horn 11 and after the side seamhooks are interengaged and bumped together at the bumping station toclose the body. For this purpose the feed bar 12 advances a bumped canbody B through a cam marking or stamping station D (Fig. l).

The stamping of the identifying marks on the restricted area of the sideseam A of a can body is effected by a rotating die holder, carriermember or disc 27 as the can body is advanced through the stampingstation D by the feed bar 12. The die holder 27 is carried on a shaft 28mounted below the horn 11. The holder 27 is secured by screws 31 to acollar 29 (see Fig. 2) formed integral with or secured to the shaft 28.The shaft 23 is rotatably mounted in a bearing 32 having a depending legextension 33 formed thereon which is adjustably secured to a bracket 34.The bracket 34 is provided with a pair of vertical slots 36 (Fig. 4)through which screws 37 extend into the leg extension 33 for securing itin place and for adjusting it for height relative to the horn 11.

The rotating die holder 27 carries a plurality of marking dies, thenumber of dies depending on the number of marks to be impressed upon theside seam area and upon the inherent limitations of the mechanism. Inthe present instance two cans are fed past the marking position orstation D for each revolution of the holder 27. For this purpose theshaft 28 is driven at one half the speed of the shaft 24.

The shaft 28 is driven in synchronism with the shaft 24 so that theywill always rotate in the same-timed relation to rotate the marking diesinto proper cooperative action for stamping identifyingmarks at twoplaces on the side seam A while the can body B is in motion. For

this purpose the shaft 28 is driven by an endless chain Patented Feb.14, 1956' 38 which operates over a sprocket 39 keyed to the shaft 28.The chain 38 in turn is driven by a sprocket 41 secured to the shaft 24hereinbefore mentioned as the main drive shaft for the present device.

It will be noted that the driven sprocket 39 is approximately twice thesize of the drive sprocket 41. In order to insure clear sharp markingsthe ratio of the parts is such that the holder 27 travels at aperipheral speed equal to the linear speed of the moving can bodies atthe marking station D to prevent any imperfect markings that wouldotherwise occur.

With this driving arrangement two sets of dies E and F are located inthe disc holder 27 diametrically opposite each other. The die sets E andF are alternately rotated to the marking position so that each set ofdies mark alternate can bodies at the leading and trailing edge portionsof the side seam A as the bodies B advance along the horn 11 on theforward strokes of the feed bar 12.

By way of example the set of dies E preferably consists of two dieelements 43, 44 (Fig. 4) and similarly the set of dies F comprises twodie elements 45, 46. However, any number of die elements may be includedin each set. The dies of each set may have different code markings butthe dies diametrically opposite each other in the holder are providedwith the same markings so that every can body will have the same marks.For instance the dies 43 and 45 will have the same markings while thedies 44 and 46 will have a second or different marking. With thisarrangement the dies 43 and 45 are used for marking the leading edge ofthe side seam while the dies 44 and 46 are used for marking the trailingedge of the side seam of all can bodies to be marked.

The die elements 43, 44, 45 and 46 preferably are made of hardenedsteel, and cooperate with an anvil or spline 47 (Fig. 3) embedded in theunder side of the horn 11 in a longitudinal groove 50. The grooveextends the full length of the horn and is used to guide the side seamand hold the can body against rotation on the horn. The die elements arepositioned in radial recesses 48 formed in the rotating die holder 27adjacent its outer periphery and are held in place by plates 49 securedto the holder 27 by screws 51. By removing the plates 49 the dieelements 43, 44, 45 and 46 can be readily interchanged and/or new onessubstituted depending on the code to be used or the data required. It isalso possible with the above mentioned construction to simply replacethe entire disc die holder 27 by removing the screws 31.

In operation the feed bar 12 on its forward stroke advances a bodythrough the marking station D during which time the die holder 27rotates one quarter of a revolution and the first set of dies 43 and 44mark the side seam A adjacent the leading and trailing edges thereof asshown in Fig. 5. Upon the return stroke of the bar 12 and while the dieholder 27 continues to rotate through its next or second quarter of arevolution the can bodies are stationary on the horn 11 on each side ofthe station D. On the next forward stroke of the feed bar 12, itadvances the second can body toward and through the marking station D asthe holder 27 continues to rotate through its third quarter of itsrevolution and thus advances the dies 45, 46 into position against theside seam A of this body in the same manner as effected by the dies 43,44 during marking of the first body. Thus as each body passes throughthe marking station D its side seam is clearly and differently marked intwo localities (Fig. and the body thence passes on to subsequentoperations.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. Mechanism for marking the side seams of can bodies, comprising alongitudinally extending horn for internally supporting tubular canbodies, means for intermittently advancing the can bodies in end to endspaced relation along said horn with the side seams disposed beneath thehorn, a die holder rotatable on a horizontal axis beneath said horn at amarking station, said holder being disposed in substantial parallel andtangential relation to said can body side seams and carrying a pluralityof peripherally spaced radially projecting die elements for marking thecan body side seams at said station, and means for actuating saidadvancing means and for con tinuously rotating said die holder in timedrelation, whereby on a forward feeding stroke of said advancing means tofeed a can body through said marking station a said die element isengaged in rolling contact with such body to mark the side seam thereof,and thereafter on an idle movement of said feeding means through areturn stroke said can bodies are momentarily at rest on said horn whilethe rotation of said die holder is continued to position another dieelement for similarly marking the side seam of the succeeding can bodyon the next forward feeding stroke of said advancing means.

2. Mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said horn is provided with alongitudinal groove for receiving and maintaining said side seams inlongitudinally aligned position beneath said horn, said groove having anelongated anvil spline therein to back up said can body side seamsduring the marking operations thereon by said die ele ments.

3. Mechanism for stamping identifying markings on the side seams of canbodies, comprising a longitudinally extending horn for internallysupporting cylindrical can bodies, reciprocating means forintermittently advancing the can bodies in end to end spaced relationalong said horn with the side seams disposed therebeneath, a cylindricaldie holder rotatable on a horizontal axis beneath said horn at a markingstation, said holder being disposed in substantial parallel andtangential relation to said can body side seams and carrying a pluralityof peripherally spaced radially projecting sets of die elementsrespectively for marking the leading and trailing ends of the side seamsof successive can bodies at said station, means for reciprocating saidadvancing means through a forward feeding stroke and thence through areturn stroke the former to advance a can body through said markingstation, and means connected to said advancing means for continuouslyrotating said die holder at the same peripheral speed as the linealspeed of said can bodies, whereby on each forward feeding stroke the dieelements of a set thereof are successively engaged in rolling contactwith a moving can body to mark the leading and trailing ends of the sideseam thereof, the return stroke of said ad vancing means leaving saidcan bodies momentarily at rest on said horn while continuing therotation of said die holder in the same direction to rotatively positiona succeeding set of die elements for similarly marking the side seam ofthe immediately following can body on the next forward feeding stroke ofsaid advancing means, the respective lineal and rotative speeds of saidadvancing means and die holder being such that a plurality of can bodiesis advanced through said marking station for a stamping operation on theside seams thereof for each complete revolution of said die holder.

4. In a can body forming machine, the combination of a stationary hornfor supporting can bodies having side seams for advancement in spacedend to end relation along a straight line path of travel, a die holdermounted in vertical relation to said horn for rotation in the plane ofthe side seams of said bodies, a plurality of sets of marking diesprojecting radially in circumferentially spaced relation from the outerperiphery of said die holder, reciprocating feeding means operablethrough said feeding means, and drive means connected to said. actuatingmeans for continuously rotating said die holder 1 at a speed less thanthat of the reciprocation of said feeding means, first for marking theside seam of one can body with one set of said marking dies byrotatively engaging the same with said seam on the forward stroke ofsaid reciprocating feeding means, and thereafter for positioning anotherset of said dies for similarly marking a succeeding can body bycontinuing the rotation of said die holder during the return stroke ofsaid reciprocating feeding means.

5. Mechanism as defined in claim 3 wherein said can body advancing meansis in part rotatable and is timed to rotate said die holder for onecomplete revolution for each two revolutions of said advancing means,said die holder carrying two sets of die elements on the peripherythereof thereby to mark the leading and trailing ends of two adjacentcan body side seams projected through the marking station during twofeeding strokes of said reciprocating advancing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,541,429 McMillay June 9, 1925 1,709,002 Booth Apr. 16, 1929 1,900,030Von Weber-n Mar. 7, 1933 2,090,919 Strother Aug. 24, 1937 2,316,517Huntley et a1 Apr. 13, 1943 2,344,930 Ferguson n Mar. 21, 1944 2,370,184Norclquist Feb. 27, 1945 2,406,151 Kronquest Aug. 20, 1946. 2,429,982Bagg Nov. 4, 1947 2,444,277 Anderson June 29, 1948 2,463,769 HigginsMar. 8, 1949 2,558,769 Geib June 26, 1951 2,563,805 Adamson Aug. 14,1951 2,601,825 Blakey July 1, 1952 2,602,393 Hirschey July 8, 1952

